Turn autoplay off Turn autoplay on Please activate cookies in order to turn autoplay off The tables are filling up fast tonight in Gustavo Braceria Carmela moves between the groups of diners Her relaxed demeanour conceals a flurry of activity as she passes from one table to another directing staff to bring forth bags of bread bottles of wine and a succession of dishes concocted by her husband Gigi with its cosy dining rooms and tables in the garden in summer The restaurant opened three years ago on the edge of the small town of Galatone The Salento draws its northern border from Taranto in the west to Brindisi in the east and marks its southernmost point at Santa Maria de Leuca Gustavo Braceria has become a firm favourite with a cosmopolitan crowd from northern Italy and beyond who are arriving in the region in increasing numbers They've come to snap up palazzi and masserie (farmhouses) for a song in this slowly gentrifying rural outpost Vendola's victory in 2005 over the rightwinger Raffaele Fitto marked a sea-change in the politics of this traditionally conservative and Catholic region It also provided a more liberal backdrop for incomers sniffing out salty-aired escapes from the human stew of Milan Puglia is like Cornwall: they come here for sun fished from nearby waters and produced in the fertile pastures that supply much of the fresh contents of the country's larders and to sup the increasingly admired local wines primitivo di Manduria and Salice Salentino But while many international visitors have been lured from the kempt pastures of Tuscany and Umbria to Puglia by its curious conical trulli and the sparkling white towns of the Valle d'Itria at the region's heart or to walk in the ancient oak and beech forests of the mountainous Gargano peninsula at its northern edge the southernmost reaches of the Salento flatlands are pioneer country Despite the traditional mores of the Salentini, these incomers appear to have been easily accepted. But then they're used to strangers in these parts. Brindisi, the location of Salento's airport, has provided a gateway to the region for more than 2,000 years. The Adriatic port marked the southern end of the Romans' highway to the east, the Appian Way and was the harbour from which the Crusaders set sail for the Holy Land This strategically important lump of limestone between the Adriatic and Ionian seas has been variously sacked by Greeks all of whom left their mark in the shape of amphitheatres In a cluster of villages between Lecce and Maglie the urban planners of the late 20th century did their best to deter newcomers to these flatlands girdling every historic settlement with unsightly modern sprawl But press on through these and there are rich baroque rewards to goggle at carved from the buttery local tufa beloved by sculptors across Italy for its malleability a seminary and a five-storey campanile – sunglasses are essential on a sunny day to protect against the dazzle of the white stone there are few tourists sharing these sights – the jostling hordes have yet to arrive from Florence and Rome Cursi, a few miles inland from Otranto on the Adriatic coast, is the quiet location of this cosy one-bedroom apartment sleeping four and carved out of a 400-year-old stone dwelling. The double-height sitting room leads to a bedroom and en suite wet room, and there's a bath in the private open courtyard. The kitchen is on the first floor to allow easy access to the roof terrace for alfresco dining.• +39 335 102 9023, pugliabydesign.com This cafe-cum-deli in the heart of Lecce is a treat as much for the eyes as for the stomach But the real diversion is touches such as the lightshades made from bottles and the bicycle parked on top of the porch in a tumble of wine boxes Diners gather around communal tables in front of the long counter sandwiches and hefty boards of salumi and cheeses are assembled.• Via Paladini 2 This is one of Salento's singular dining experiences Carmela Luperto has no truck with menus; she prefers to surprise with a multi-course taste of Italy The dishes come thick and fast: Sardinian cheese for dipping in grape must; mussels from Taranto in a broth of tiny Gargano beans; sweet black pork with radicchio The list – and the evening – goes on.• Strada Statale Salentina Gallipoli This family-run trattoria is worth seeking out not just for good Salentine food but for its setting on a pretty piazza in the shadow of a castle. An outside table at this former bishop's palace is a prime place to dine on rustic dishes such as polpo alla pignata (stewed octopus with tomatoes, celery and herbs). Sourdough pizzas are new to the menu this year.• Via Chiesa 4, +39 0833 985105, anticomonastero.com Try not to let your eyes rule your belly here Seafood lovers will swoon at the long list of fish molluscs and crustacea to order at this fair-weather restaurant in a beach resort north of Gallipoli washed down with a plastic cup of cold white wine The local ricci (sea urchins) are particularly good Expect long queues in summer.• Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo Ryanair flies from Stansted to Brindisi from £68 return. Lecce station is the southern terminus of the Adriatic Railway, with direct trains to Milan (trenitalia.com). More information from (viaggiareinpuglia.it) La Ciambella is a newish restaurant - I think it opened last March sandy peninsula between Venice and Trieste Cruising the steep southern shores it appears that Lake Como is the preserve of the Clooneys more relaxing microcosm of the lake's larger Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news You are receiving this pop-up because this is the first time you are visiting our site You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker) we are relying on revenues from our banners So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.Thanks Italian artichokes are expensive this year High prices are discouraging buyers as households tend to save more a company in the province of Lecce that supplies fruit and vegetables to wholesale markets comments on the current artichoke campaign wholesale prices range from €0.50 to 55 euros per unit for good quality processed products you have to take into account a price increase of about +0.20-0.25 €/head The price increase is due to weather-related difficulties faced by farmers The artichoke season at Biemme Srl started on October 18th about a month late due to the mild autumn weather "The availability of artichokes continues to be scarce but the quality of the pieces is better than it was at the beginning of the year" but we are concerned about sudden and abrupt changes in temperature which has already happened in the last ten days of November We are seeing a 25 percent drop in consumption compared to last year This is mainly due to the high retail prices the high prices are changing the spending habits of families who now consider fruits and vegetables as luxury goods not always affordable." For more information:Biemme SrlVia duca di Genova 1173044 Galatone LE+39 329 732 8920[email protected]biemme-srl.it FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 FreshPlaza.com There are few bigger occasions for celebrities to play dress-up than the Met Gala But not everyone is on board with the glitz and glamour on display sitting comfortably in the current climate Comment | Opinion Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice This year’s event in New York City invited guests to join in with the theme of “Gilded Glamour”, and the parade of celebrities appeared uninhibited in taking their chance to dazzle. Few took the brief quite as literally as model Cara Delevingne who painted her topless upper half in full gold Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian brought out the crystal-stitched dress Marilyn Monroe famously wore to sing Happy Birthday you’d be forgiven for questioning whether the attendees are actually present here in 2022 and devastating breaking news for millions of women in the US discovering their legal right to abortion could be about to be taken away it would be understandable to not feel in the mood for opulent partying others may argue that this kind of spectacle is just what’s needed to bring some colour and an escape from the endless stream of gloom it’s clear the vibe was more gild than guilt Was the ‘gilded glamour’ of the Met Gala tone deaf Let us know your thoughts in the comments below for the chance to be featured on the ES website tomorrow Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary